SAN FRANCISCO – It was almost a big day for the Giants’ offseason signings on Saturday.
Sean Manaea was masterful in six innings with one run. Joc Pederson and Michael Conforto played key roles in the revamped attack.
But Ross Stripling, who signed a two-year, $25 million deal with the Giants in December, let it all fall apart as he allowed four runs in the late innings as the Royals overcame a four-run deficit to topple the Giants, 6-5, at Oracle Park.
The Giants go to 3-5 this year with one more game against the Royals on Sunday before the Dodgers come to town on Monday.
Stripling’s collapse blew an otherwise historic day for Manaea.
There was the 97 mph heater Manaea threw in the second inning that marked the hardest pitch he’s ever thrown in a game he’s started. There were eight strikeouts and six one-run innings. And there was the history he made with catcher Blake Sabol when the two formed the first-ever Samoan battery in Major League Baseball.
The performance will be remembered by many as Manaea’s most impressive since going seven innings without a hit against the Diamondbacks to open his 2022 season, an otherwise disappointing year in which he finished with a 4.96 ERA.
The Giants offered him a two-year, $25 million deal to return to the Bay Area. On Saturday, the 6-foot-5 lefty showed off as he hit 97 mph and soared in the mid-90s with his sinker. A year ago, he averaged 150 mph on his float, the pitch he has thrown more than anyone else during his eight-year big league career.
Coupled with an evaporating change, Manaea was powerful and masterful at the same time. He got some help from his defense — yes, the Giants defense that came in on Saturday with defense points saved at -6, tied for second worst in baseball. Brandon Crawford and Thairo Estrada made a smooth double play and Lamont Wade Jr. made a difficult play at first base to help Manaea escape the fourth inning.
The only damage came from a hanging substitution that Bobby Witt Jr. smoked over the left field fence for a solo shot in the sixth inning.
Manaea ran off the mound in the sixth inning with a 4-1 lead before Stripling came in.
Stripling immediately gave up a solo shot to Franmil Reyes, then gave up three more runs in the eighth on a three-run shot by Salvador Perez.
The Royals scored their eventual winning run on a wild pitch by Camilo Doval in the ninth.
Also….
— Along with Sabol, the two battery mates had been looking forward to the opportunity to get together since spring training, when Sabol’s mother came to visit and cooked Samoan food for some of her son’s teammates. While both players were born in the United States, Sabol’s mother was born in Western Samoa, while Manaea’s father was born in the eastern islands of American Samoa, as described in a story in March’s The Athletic.
— Sabol also made his mark in the game when he stumbled into foul territory before making a diving catch for the second out in the eighth inning, though two consecutive hits and a three-run homer by Perez tied the score at 5- 5, and ruined Manaea’s chance for a win.
– Wade hammered a line drive over all into right field for his first home run of the year in the fourth inning. It also marked the Giants’ 98th career splash at McCovey Cove as they approach the number 100 likely to be hit this year. Barry Bonds hit 35 of 98 splash hits. Wade has four.
– Wade’s home run started off a big fourth inning that ended with a pair of two-out, RBI singles by Estrada and Crawford.
